Things I Wish I Knew During My Final Year At University

I am sure there are many of you out there starting to feel the nerves about starting your final year at uni as we reach the end of the summer holidays and all I can say to you all is that I completley understand!I was extremely nervous about my final year for a number of different reasons.

I was having to finish it at a different university, which meant a longer, unfamiliar drive. This also meant new lecturers and a lot of new people, as well as being assigned a supervisor for my dissertation that I had never even met before. Chuck on top of that the dreaded dissertation and the fact the work was only going to increase and it’s safe to say I was a little bit scared.

Of course there was also the thought of this being my final year which meant real life was due to start after it – how was I meant to be a grown up in such a short space of time?

I’m guessing that many of you out there are having similar thoughts or worries, whether it’s the workload or the pressure you put on yourself for the result you finish with and what that could lead to. Well I’m here to tell you as someone who graduated 3 years ago (and someone who is still standing) would have loved to have known before I started that final year.

Your final grade isn’t everything – Ok maybe not compleltey true but unless you have a specific job in mind you’d be surprised at how funny life can work out whether or not you got that 1st class degree or not.

Just because your degree is focusing on one thing doesn’t mean that’s where you are destined to end up for the rest of your life, My brother has a degree in physics and now works in finance thanks to a graduate programme he got into thanks to the fact he had a good degree.

Yes you might even miss studying! I know you might find this shocking at this point and believe me it will get worse before it gets better this year but I sometimes miss studying and getting to learn new things. It’s not quite the same learning new things without someone there to steer you in certain directions – you can get very easily distracted.

You will forget so much of what you have learned once you’re out in the big bad world.

You do not have to know where you’re going next.

A GAP year between graduation and your “real” job could be one of the best ideas.

Actually there are tons of options out there for when this final year is over so you don’t have to go the way you thought you were going to back in first year.

Uni isn’t just about your grades and getting that degree, use it as a time to experience life whether it’s making new friends, going on too many nights out or learning how to fend for yourself away from the comfort of your cosy home.

Don’t worry guys I swear your final year at uni can actually be a very positive experience but it also doesn’t mean your carefree years are over. Just be proud that you have got this far and believe that you are exactly where you are supposed to be. Plus adult life isn’t all bad because when I clock out at 5 that is me for the rest of the day, no more exams to study for or assessments to write!